There's a NEW BABY in the family. A little girl born to son, Jonathan and his wife Melanie.
Little MADELINE ESTELLE arrived at 2:40 am. Jon called around 3:15 am to tell the good news. Katherine and I went to Hastings that afternoon to meet grandchild #5.
Meanwhile, Jon's brother, Nathan, had already checked in by phone from Kansas City. Melanie's folks had come from Lexington in the forenoon to see this wondrous child, as well as Wendy, Melanie's younger sister.
While we were there in the afternoon, Stephanie from Colorado and Nancy from New Jersey (Jon's sisters) were in communication. Then, Kim, Melanie's older sister, and her two girls arrived to swell the throng.
Now, none of this is new to a lot of folks. It's a fairly common experience. But I WAS THINKING of the way the ARRIVAL OF A BABY ENERGIZES AND FOCUSES THE FAMILY. Little Madeline is like a flower in full bloom, attracting bees from near and far. She's like a night-light on the patio drawing all sorts of flying creatures into its glow. That little baby becomes, for a time, the CENTER OF ATTENTION, CONCERN AND CONVERSATION. She is the FOCUS of family life.
THEN, I thought: That's how IT OUGHT TO BEN This is the miracle of new life and God ALLOWS US TO BE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROCESS. I'd have to be a modern-day Philistine not to be sensitive to that.
THEN I thought of what Jesus said, "I WILL BE LIFTED UP ON A CROSS AND DRAW PEOPLE TO MYSELF". John 12:32. He is THE CENTER of our life with God. He is the Joy. He is everything Good. He is present through Scripture and Sacrament, and WE FLOCK AROUND HIM like the family around baby Madeline Estelle.